Overstrand Life - Janet's Diaries

February 16th - 28th 2014

Sunday 16th February 2014 - Power Cut, Shore Horse and Crowd Barriers

Strong winds whipped across the land and out to sea on Friday and throughout Saturday. We came off fairly lightly with the main disruption caused by a power cable, which came down in Northrepps and resulted in loss of power in parts of the village. We woke at 3.30 a.m. on Saturday morning to find we had no electricity and I lay in bed wondering as to how long it would be before connection would be restored. I thought about what should be eaten first if the freezer defrosted and what I could do that did not involve electricity; not a lot apart from dusting out the sideboard and reading a book. As it was, by the time we got up, we had been reconnected but with reduced power. This meant that the fridge and freezer were running, the lights were dim, the kettle boiled (eventually) and although initially the central heating was on it was not long before there was not enough power to keep the boiler running. By the time we had returned from Aylsham, full power had been restored, with everything back to normal. The North Norfolk News reported the wind damage on its website and included a photograph of the source of our problem; the broken power cable, at the top of Tolls Hill, in what I refer to as the ‘sheep field’.

SSW

North Norfolk News also covered the Storm Horse. This imaginative construction was not, as reported, on Overstrand beach but on Sidestrand’s and unfortunately when we walked along this afternoon it had been dismantled and all that remained was a pile of wood and its ‘bare bones’. Was it its creator who took it down or some spoil sport who objected to this piece of imaginative sculpture? We will probably never know. On the subject of dismantling; the crowd barriers (put up until the storm damaged railings are replaced), at the east of the promenade have been moved. Presumably it is the sea that has deposited a pile at the bottom of the slipway with more on the beach. I can only say; this is as villagers predicted. How long the remaining barriers stay in place, we wait to see. There was quite a lot of comment when the barriers were erected, about the cost, as to who would be paying for them and whether we really needed railings anyway. It was generally expressed that it would be us the Council Tax payers who would foot the bill, so no doubt there will now be further comments.

Shore Horse Remains

Bare Bones

As Predicted

Moving away from the shore horse and the barriers; it has been a truly wonderful February day, with blue skies, sun, a moderate wind and just a few clouds this afternoon. It bought people into the village to walk along the sands, some exercising their dogs while others came with buckets and spades to build sandcastles. Despite The Storm and more rain than usual, this has been a very mild winter. There is still time for a cold snap but I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will drift into spring without a period of severe weather.

Thursday 20th February 2014 - First Rhubarb, Second Repair, Busy Wednesday, TV Programmes to Watch and How to Ripen an Avocado

Peter has been busy servicing the lawnmower. Just as soon as the ground dries out sufficiently he will be able to give the grass a mow but in the meantime it continues to grow. Out in our garden, there is plenty of colour in the flower borders, the Purple Sprouting is growing well and we had our first picking of Rhubarb on Sunday.

A second repair to the slump at the bottom of the zigzag has been completed. On Monday a digger was busy recovering more rock armour from the beach. This was loaded onto a dumper truck and deposited in the recess area next to the slump. Work resumed on Tuesday when the rocks were positioned in the slump area, (washed out during The Storm and again after the first attempt at repairing); these rocks were then capped with cement. Fingers crossed this time the repair holds. Further along the promenade those crowd barriers that have not been bent and battered and rendered unusable, have been re-erected on the promenade. This has left a gap and quite a number of the barriers that have been re-instated are bent with strips of metal missing.

Retrieving Rock Armour

Latest Repair

Stacked on the Promenade

Quite a busy day on Wednesday, this started with a visit to the Norfolk Record Office in Norwich, where Senior Archivist, Freda Wilkin-Jones showed us the Searchroom, including files showing Parish Records and how to access further information remotely, via their website. My question as to how they ensured items were not removed was answered when we had to leave our coats and bags outside. Researchers are not allowed to take any personal belongings into the Searchroom; these have to be left in lockers. Freda explained that staff are there to guide and assist as well as access documents from storage. Back home I tried to see if there were any records pertaining to our home but after sifting through forty three pages of records I found nothing. It is possible however, that using a different search, there may be some records and in addition Norfolk Heritage hold building information as well.

Spirit of Coltishall (NRO)

Anchor (Fishermen's Green)

Norfolk Record Office (NRO)

In the afternoon I attended the Overstrand Gardening Club’s Committee meeting. I was Treasurer last year and I must say it was a pleasure not to have to carry files and the books of account with me to the meeting. The Committee try extremely hard to provide what members want and this includes, quality speakers, trips and two social events each year but of course it is not always possible to please all of the members all of the time. In the evening I was out again, this time to the WI meeting, where I have a low key role as Publicity Officer as well as maintaining the groups Scrapbook. Monica Gepp spoke at the meeting about Cromer in Bloom. Originally, I thought this would be a talk to encourage Overstrand to take part in Anglia in Bloom. However, although Cromer has taken part in Anglia in Bloom and won a Silver award in 2007, the town no longer competes. With just eight volunteers plus additional helpers that can be called upon from time to time, the group maintains a number of the public areas in the town including The Henry Blogg garden, garden opposite Morrison’s fuel station and Cromer Station. They also run an annual competition when a RHS judge appraises and awards prizes to gardeners in various categories e.g. Front Garden, Allotment, Communal Garden etc. They also co-ordinate the Christmas Tree Festival in Cromer church. Cromer in Bloom is sponsored and funded by local businesses and Cromer Town Council. They donate any money they raise to the charity, East Anglian Air Ambulance.

As part of the Channel 4 series, Walking in History TV presenter Tony Robinson will be taking a walk in North Norfolk. This will be televised on Saturday evening at 8 p.m. Not to be outdone, Monday’s BBC Inside Out will be featuring the Chalk Reef as one of the programmes three topics. If you miss either of these programmes, they will be available either on Catch Up on 4 or on BBC iplayer.

Finally, if you ever buy an Avocado which is hard and which you want to eat in the next 3-4 days; here’s a tip that Peter found on the internet. We tried this and it works. Put the Avocado in a brown paper bag with preferably a Banana or as alternative an Apple or Tomato. Twist the bag to close and put in a warm place, the bag traps the Ethylene gas they produce and speeds the ripening process. Check each day and by day three or four your Avocado will feel soft when pressure is applied by thumb and finger and will be ready to eat.

Sunday 23rd February 2014 - 'Oh Yes It is', First Mow and Enjoying the Good Weather

Cesspit, Wicked Fairy & Saggy

Friar Tuckbox, Robina Hood and the Hoodies

Fairy Good with Deanderthall & Kayesera

There’s nothing like a good laugh and laugh we did at the White Horse Charity Committee’s Pantomime, Sleeping Bewty. Despite the limited facilities in the Parish Hall, Director Maggie Midgeley made the most of what is available. The story was based on Robin Hood and Sleeping Beauty with Black Shuck thrown in for good measure and of course Overstrand’s inimitable Ugly Sisters (aka Guy Bartlett and Roger Kimp). It was good to see new and familiar faces in the cast and to see one of our village’s newest residents, Carol Walker taking part. Impossible to mention all cast members and musicians here but they were all ‘stars’. A personal thank you here from Peter and myself for such an entertaining evening. The lighting focused on centre stage and was brighter than last year. As a result any photos I took were bleached out but we had more success with Peter’s camera and I have included a selection here, all with the heads of the audience sat in front of us!

Fairy Bungle, Deanderthal, Kayesera, Robina & Marianne

Bewty, Prince Handy & Jester

Final Line-up

Saturday morning we gave ourselves two choices either, walking along the beach to Cromer for breakfast and back on the bus to mow the grass or, a walk along the beach and back home to mow followed by another walk, this time to Northrepps for a snack lunch at the Foundry Arms. It was still a bit nippy on the beach and would probably have been little different by the time we reached Cromer. Sitting outside and eating breakfast would probably be a chilly affair, so we decided this will have to wait for another day. Instead we chose the second option and by the time Peter had mowed, it was pleasantly warm and we were able to walk up to Northrepps without jackets. En route we saw a pair of Buzzards and a Green Woodpecker and on our way back a Sparrowhawk was out on the hunt. At the Foundry Arms, we both chose Tuna Mayo Jacket Potatoes for our lunch. The Tuna Mayo was served in a separate ramekin, which we both thought was a far better presentation, rather than piling it directly into the potato.

Not so much sun today but it has remained warm and the day has been both enjoyable and relaxing. We started with a beach walk and after breakfast I tidied the plants in the greenhouse and cleaned out the chickens before we joined a friend at The White Horse for her Birthday lunch. The day has been rounded off by relaxing at home and writing todays diary.

The ground has been drying out nicely and Peter has been out in the garden putting in the Onion sets, digging out the root of an old shrub and spreading and forking in garden compost ready to plant the Potatoes. With such spring-like weather, I am keen to start the Broad Bean seeds off in the greenhouse but first it needed cleaning. Rather a damp affair, as I first clean glass inside and out with a bucket of soapy water and a nylon broom followed by a strong jet of water from the hose. The water sends spiders scuttling and predictably bounces off the glass back onto me. When the floor is dry I can then put the overwintering plants back inside. It has been such a pleasure to be in the garden with the Daffodils now in flower along with the Pansies, Iris, Snowdrops, Helleborus, Violets, Aconites, Cyclamen, Crocus, Primroses and the fragrant Mahonia which never fails to bring the bees into the garden.

Mahonia

At Christmas and other times of the year supermarkets tend to offer monetary incentives. We decided to use our incentives to buy dog and cat food. Not for Barney and Poppy but to take to FAITH Animal Rescue centre and this we did on Wednesday. We presumed the roads round the Broads would have dried out by now but there was still surface water and mud at the edges and also plenty of mud in the fields at FAITH’s; this meant I could not go and see the horses. However, once we had off loaded the cans of food we had a brief walk round the cattery and kennel area where the dogs were making the most of the sunshine in their large runs. A brown hen was walking confidently round which did not faze Barney as he is used to my hens Beckie and Cate. I can’t say Barney was completely relaxed though. We adopted him from FAITH back in October 2009 and I guess he was wondering if he we were returning him. No need to worry Barney; you are a good boy and part of our family. I can only say; your previous owners really missed out by not persevering with your digging and chewing.

Helleborus

In the evening; a second birthday celebration, this time at the Northrepps Cottage Hotel’s restaurant. It is almost unbelievable that this was our first meal at the hotel which is more or less ‘just up the road’. Following good reports, we have intended to eat here on several occasions but subsequently when we heard less favourable comments, decided against. We were not disappointed and we all enjoyed an excellent dinner with good well priced wine to accompany; Peter was particularly impressed with his Sirloin Steak and we look forward to returning to eat here again.

Violets

I have taken delivery of my short story booklet and I am very pleased with the quality of the print, paper and price too. The online printing company has a number of testimonials on their website, which is one of the reasons I chose them and I would recommend Book Printing UK. They cover a range of different book formats as well as flyers, bookmarks and posters and their customer service was both helpful and timely.